Severina wakes on a frosty day to find that the fireplace is lit. That's new, Sirius never lights the fire in this room, even when the chill seeps into their bones.

It's warm and comfortable now, and Severina does not, for once, hurry to leave the bed. She rolls onto her side, snuggles into the blankets and closing her eyes again. The smell of burning wood and the baked goods fill hernosetrills that he knows will be on the table.

The bed shifts behind her as Sirius leans over her, an arm snaking around her chest squeezing a boob before pulling her close. The bristles on Sirius' face tickle the nape of Severina's neck, and she sighs, allowing it to happen, allowing her body to relax into Sirius' hold. "You look comfortable," Sirius says at last, his voice low and soft.

"It's your fault," Severina mumbles into the sheets.

"Thought I'd clean out the chimney yesterday. Nearly froze my balls off the other night."

"And what a tragedy that would be."

"For you, mainly." Chapped lips are pressed to her neck, and Severina shivers in delight. She's fully awake now, but it feels as if she is dreaming. Sirius never kisses her outside of sex. And it's never this tender.

"Come on," Sirius says after a moment, pulling away and rolling out of bed. "There is sticky toffee pudding and shortbread today."

"Where are you finding these baked goods?" Severina is still reluctant to quit the bed, but she does it anyway, finding the temperature much less shocking to her bare skin.

"A place just 'round the corner," Sirius says as he sits at the little table and picks up a shortbread.

Severina looks up with alarmed eyes. "Black, if you've been leaving the safety of this house just to buy baked goods…!"

"I haven't left at all," Sirius says with a grin.

"what!? Then how did you…"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Yes, I would, as a matter of fact 'like to know'." Severina says with air quotes as she walks over to the table and sits across from Sirius, dressed in Sirius' shirt. It feels so odd to be like this, to be partially dressed in front of someone. Sirius has seen her completely nude, but this is somehow more intimate. She averts her eyes self-consciously as she takes a toffee pudding, moaning at the taste.

"Well, that's a secret. Just enjoy it."

"Albus has gone to great lengths to conceal your location you know," she says in between bites.

"Merlin's balls, Snape, I get it!" Sirius jiggles his leg irritably as he tears into another shortbread. "I'm not doing anything that would compromise the Order's safety, alright? I haven't left this house!"

"Then you must be in contact with someone." Severina says while eyeing suspiciously.

"I'm in contact with lots of people, though they don't much have time for me." His tone is bitter, and Severina realizes that they're skating on thin ice, but her curiosity is eating her up. Sirius can be so pigheaded that Severina can't put it past him to disregard his own safety for something frivolous like this.

"So, if I were to tell Albus of your… sweet tooth," Severina says coolly, "that would not give him any cause for concern?"

Sirius glares at her, and she takes another bite. Enjoying her little victory. This is how it should be between them. When was it that they had forgotten that?

To Severina's amazement, Sirius lets out a breath and looks out the window. "I know what you're doing," he says. "Stop it. I'm in no mood to fight with you today."

"It's not a fight I want," Severina says, though perhaps that isn't entirely true.

"Yes, it is." Sirius is watching the street below, his gray eyes intense though his body language is relaxed. "You haven't been sleeping well, have you?"

The question takes Severina by surprise. "What has that to do with the topic at hand?"

"Arthur," Sirius says, and Severina feels her face go pale. "He's the reason, right? You've been worrying over him."

Severina frowns, narrowing her eyes. "Jealous, Black?" How had Sirius noticed?

"I can imagine that you've been cooped up in your dungeon, scrambling to find a way to help him. Because that's what you do." When Sirius' eyes turn to her again, they're soft and understanding. "Didn't think I'd notice, right? Well, that's what I do. I notice you. I could never help it, really, it's sort of an obsession."

They stare at each other until Severina can no longer stand it. She looks away, unable to see herself through Sirius' eyes. "We were all worried," Sirius says, "when it happened. But I know that you went to St. Mungo's and consulted with the healers. I know you probably helped to find an antidote to the snake's venom."

Severina sat up straight in shook, "How do you know that?"

"I have my sources," Sirius says catching her eye and winks. "My point is, you care more than you let on. About people, I mean. It's why you're needling me about the bloody baked good."

"I… I do not care," Severina grinds out, "about anything but seeing the end of this war."

"Whatever you say babe."

"Don't call me that!"

"Sure thing, babe."

Severina's eyes flash, Sirius has been getting far too familiar with her as of late. Waking up in bed together might be blamed for that, she never should have allowed it to continue after the first time. She gets up and dresses in a hurry, then grabs a box of the sticky toffee pudding on the table and sweeps out of the room, grabbing her cloak and overcoat as she goes.

Sirius remains at the table, staring out at the cold winter day, unmoved.